Phase IFoundation
Background
Overview
Understanding the Bay of Bengal's strategic significance is vital for comprehending India's neighborhood policy, maritime security challenges, regional power dynamics, and the role of multilateral cooperation in addressing shared non-traditional threats.
The Bay of Bengal, historically a crucial link between South and Southeast Asia, has emerged as a central region in India's strategic thinking, linking its Act East policy with ASEAN and providing access to vital global trade and energy routes, while also facing significant non-traditional security threats and geopolitical competition.